Blackhawks/Red Wings Ratings Up 10% For NBC

After average numbers for the Thanksgiving Showdown, and seeing the Winter Classic ratings slide a bit, NBC used an Original Six rivalry to open their more traditional NHL coverage on an up note in 2012.

The network’s first Saturday regular season broadcast in four years, a Red Wings overtime victory over the Blackhawks, drew a 1.1/3 overnight rating, tying for the best NBC numbers since last year’s Hockey Day in America doubleheader.

The game tops 2011’s first indoor broadcast (PHI/CHI, 1/23/11: 1.0) by 10%, and topped 2010’s first game indoors (CHI/DET, 1/17/10: 0.8) by a whopping 38%. Keep in mind that both those games aired on Sunday, and the Philadelphia/Chicago game aired on the same day the Chicago Bears were hosting the NFC Championship Game. 2009’s Chicago/Detroit game also aired in the way of NFL Divisional Playoff games, while the Hawks/Wings OT thriller ended before football action began on Saturday. That said, I love an encouraging note to begin the second half of the NHL’s season. It will be interesting to see if NBC can keep the momentum going for a Crosby-less Penguins/Capitals showdown next Sunday.